was a Japanese actor, who made notable appearances in the films of

Akira Kurosawa was a Japanese filmmaker and painter who directed thirty films in a career spanning over five decades. He is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers in the history of cinema. Kurosawa displayed a bold, dyna ...

and

Yasujirō Ozu was a Japanese film director and screenwriter. He began his career during the era of silent films, and his last films were made in colour in the early 1960s. Ozu first made a number of short comedies, before turning to more serious themes in t ...

in the 1950s and 1960s. Perhaps his most famous roles in the West were those of the callous deputy mayor in Kurosawa's ''

Ikiru is a 1952 Japanese drama film directed and co-written (with Shinobu Hashimoto and Hideo Oguni) by Akira Kurosawa. The film examines the struggles of a terminally ill Tokyo bureaucrat (played by Takashi Shimura) and his final quest for meaning. ...

'' (1952), and the hairdresser's henpecked husband in Ozu's ''

Tokyo Story is a 1953 Japanese drama film directed by Yasujirō Ozu and starring Chishū Ryū and Chieko Higashiyama about an aging couple who travel to Tokyo to visit their grown children. Upon release, it did not immediately gain international recogni ...

'' (1953). Nakamura was also famous for many notable contributions to Japanese modern theatre. In 1937, he founded the Bungakuza company along with

Haruko Sugimura was a Japanese stage and film actress, best known for her appearances in the films of Yasujirō Ozu and Mikio Naruse from the late 1940s to the early 1960s. Biography Sugimura was born in Nishi-ku, Hiroshima. After the death of her parents, ...

Seiji Miyaguchi was a Japanese actor who appeared in films of Akira Kurosawa, Yasujirō Ozu, Mikio Naruse, Tadashi Imai and many others. He succumbed to lung cancer at the age of 71. Distinctions One of Kurosawa's iconic ''Seven Samurai'', Miyaguchi won the 195 ...

, and Masayuki Mori. Nakamura played

Polonius Polonius is a character in William Shakespeare's play ''Hamlet''. He is chief counsellor of the play's ultimate villain, Claudius, and the father of Laertes and Ophelia. Generally regarded as wrong in every judgment he makes over the course of ...

in ''

Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...

'', Herod in

Wilde Wilde is a surname. Notable people with the name include: In arts and entertainment In film, television, and theatre * ''Wilde'' a 1997 biographical film about Oscar Wilde * Andrew Wilde (actor), English actor * Barbie Wilde (born 1960), Canadi ...

's '' Salome'', Aleksandr Vladimirovich Serebryakov in Chekov's ''

Uncle Vanya ''Uncle Vanya'' ( rus, Дя́дя Ва́ня, r=Dyádya Ványa, p=ˈdʲædʲə ˈvanʲə) is a play by the Russian playwright Anton Chekhov. It was first published in 1898, and was first produced in 1899 by the Moscow Art Theatre under the direct ...

'', and Krapp in ''

Krapp's Last Tape ''Krapp's Last Tape'' is a 1958 one-act play, in English, by Samuel Beckett. With a cast of one man, it was written for Northern Irish actor Patrick Magee (actor), Patrick Magee and first titled "Magee monologue". It was inspired by Beckett's e ...

''. He also appeared in ''

Macbeth ''Macbeth'' (, full title ''The Tragedie of Macbeth'') is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. It is thought to have been first performed in 1606. It dramatises the damaging physical and psychological effects of political ambition on those w ...

'', ''

The Merchant of Venice ''The Merchant of Venice'' is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1596 and 1598. A merchant in Venice named Antonio defaults on a large loan provided by a Jewish moneylender, Shylock. Although classified as ...

'', and ''

The Cherry Orchard ''The Cherry Orchard'' (russian: Вишнёвый сад, translit=Vishnyovyi sad) is the last play by Russian playwright Anton Chekhov. Written in 1903, it was first published by ''Znaniye'' (Book Two, 1904), and came out as a separate edition ...

'' . In the 1950s and 1960s, he played major roles in

Yukio Mishima , born , was a Japanese author, poet, playwright, actor, model, Shintoist, Nationalism, nationalist, and founder of the , an unarmed civilian militia. Mishima is considered one of the most important Japanese authors of the 20th century. He was ...

's plays such as ''

Rokumeikan The was a large two-story building in Tokyo, completed in 1883, which became a controversial symbol of Westernisation in the Meiji period. Commissioned for the housing of foreign guests by the Foreign Minister Inoue Kaoru, it was designed by Brit ...

'', '' My Friend Hitler'', and so on. In 1963, Nakamura left Bungakuza company and founded the NLT company with Mishima. His most famous and successful role is considered to be The Professor in Ionesco's '' The Lesson''. He performed The Lesson for the first time in 1972 and played The Professor every Friday night at

Shibuya Jean-Jean was a small theatre in Shibuya in Tokyo which was open from 1969 to 2000. It was the site of regular performances by Takahashi Chikuzan until his death, regular performances by Nobuo Nakamura of '' The Lesson'', and live appearances by Noriko Awa ...

, a small theatre in

Shibuya, Tokyo Shibuya (渋谷区 ''Shibuya-ku'') is a special ward in Tokyo, Japan. As a major commercial and finance center, it houses two of the busiest railway stations in the world, Shinjuku Station (southern half) and Shibuya Station. As of April 1, ...

until 1983. Appropriately, one of his last movie roles was a cameo as a deceptively decrepit-looking "professor" in

Juzo Itami , born , was a Japanese actor, screenwriter and film director. He directed eleven films (one short and ten features), all of which he wrote himself. Early life Itami was born Yoshihiro Ikeuchi in Kyoto. The name Itami was passed on from his fath ...

's film comedy

Tampopo is a 1985 Japanese comedy film written and directed by Juzo Itami, and starring Tsutomu Yamazaki, Nobuko Miyamoto, Kōji Yakusho, and Ken Watanabe. The publicity for the film calls it the first "ramen western", a play on the term Spaghetti Weste ...

(1985).

Selected filmography

Films

*1938: ''Hanataba no yume'' *1942: ''Haha no chizu'' - Hideo *1946: ''Urashima Tarô no kôei'' *1951: ''Jiyû gakkô'' *1952: ''Honjitsu kyûshin'' - Take-san *1952: '' To Live'' - Deputy Mayor *1953: ''Zoku Jûdai no seiten'' - Tateuo Ueda *1953: ''Aoiro kakumei'' - Professor Hisamatsu *1953: ''Senkan Yamato'' *1953: ''

'' - Kurazo Kaneko *1953: '' An Inlet of Muddy Water'' - Yasubee (Story 2) *1954: ''Itsuko to sono haha'' - Nomura, Chairman *1954: ''Tomoshibi'' - Keizo Kawamura *1955: ''Jû jin yuki otoko'' - Professor Koizumi *1955: ''Shichinin no ani imôto'' - Yukichi Kitahara *1955: ''

I Live in Fear is a 1955 Japanese drama film directed by Akira Kurosawa, produced by Sōjirō Motoki, and co-written by Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, and Hideo Oguni. The film is about an elderly Japanese factory owner so terrified of the prospect of a nuclear a ...

'' - Psychologist *1956: '' Early Spring'' - Arakawa, chief executive *1956: ''Yûyake-gumo'' - Seiji's father, Haruo *1956: ''Shiroi magyo'' *1956: ''Gendai no yokubô'' - Takamatsu *1956: ''Shokei no heya'' - Professor *1956: ''Onibi'' *1956: ''Konyaku yubiwa-engeeji ringu'' *1956: '' Flowing'' *1956: ''Hibana'' - Takayama *1957: ''

Throne of Blood is a 1957 Japanese ''jidaigeki'' film co-written, produced, edited, and directed by Akira Kurosawa, with special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya. The film transposes the plot of William Shakespeare's play ''Macbeth'' from Medieval Scotland to feudal Ja ...

'' - Phantom samurai *1957: ''

Tokyo Twilight is a 1957 Japanese drama film by Yasujirō Ozu. It is the story of two sisters (played by Ineko Arima and Ozu regular Setsuko Hara) who are reunited with a mother who left them as children. The film is considered amongst Ozu's darkest postwar ...

'' - Sakae Aiba *1957: ''Hikage no musume'' *1957: ''Yoru no chô'' - Customer *1957: ''Sono yoru no himegoto'' - Ryusaku Endo *1957: ''Nichiro sensô shôri no hishi: Tekichû ôdan sanbyaku-ri'' *1958: ''

Rickshaw Man , also released as ''Muhomatsu, the Rickshaw Man'' or ''The Rikisha-Man'', is a 1958 color Japanese film directed by Hiroshi Inagaki. It is a remake of his own 1943 film. In the 1943 version Tsumasaburo Bando played the role of Muhōmatsu. In Oct ...

'' - Yoshiko's brother *1958: ''

Anzukko is a 1958 Japanese drama film directed by Mikio Naruse. It is based on a novel by Saisei Murō. Plot Kyoko, daughter of successful writer Hirayama, rejects several marriage prospects before taking Ryokichi, owner of a small used book store, a ...

'' *1958: ''Hana no bojô'' - Kaô Hishikawa *1958: ''

Equinox Flower is a 1958 color Japanese film directed by Yasujirō Ozu which is based on a novel by Ton Satomi. Plot Wataru Hirayama (Shin Saburi) is a wealthy Tokyo businessman. When an old schoolmate Mikami ( Chishū Ryū) approaches him for help concerning ...

'' - Toshihiko Kawai *1958: ''Akujo no kisetsu'' - Dr. Mizutani *1958: ''Haru kôrô no hana no en'' - Shuntarô Tanaka *1958: ''

Half Human is a 1955 Japanese science fiction horror film directed by Ishirō Honda, with special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya. The film stars Akira Takarada, Momoko Kōchi, Akemi Negishi, Sachio Sakai, and Nobuo Nakamura, with Sanshiro Sagara as the Abomina ...

'' - Prof. Tanaka (uncredited) *1959: ''

The Human Condition ''The Human Condition'', first published in 1958, is Hannah Arendt's account of how "human activities" should be and have been understood throughout Western history. Arendt is interested in the ''vita activa'' (active life) as contrasted with ...

'' - Honsha Buchô *1959: ''Onna gokoro'' - Tsujinoto *1959: ''Hanran'' - Kuga *1959: ''Yajû shisubeshi'' - Professor Sugimura *1959: ''Anyakôro'' - Kensaku's father *1959: ''Kaoyaku to bakudan musume'' - Kôda *1960: ''Kuroi gashû: Aru sarariman no shôgen'' *1960: ''Bokutô kitan'' - Sanji *1960: ''

The Bad Sleep Well is a 1960 Japanese crime mystery film directed by Akira Kurosawa. It was the first film to be produced under Kurosawa's own independent production company. It was entered into the 11th Berlin International Film Festival. The film stars Toshiro ...

'' - Legal Adviser *1960: ''

A False Student is a 1960 Japanese drama film directed by Yasuzō Masumura. It is based on the story ''Gisho no toki'' by Japanese writer Kenzaburō Ōe. Plot For the fourth time in a row, Hikoichi has failed to pass the exams to enter a prestigious universi ...

'' - Takagi *1960: '' Late Autumn'' - Shuzo Taguchi *1960: ''Oden jigoku'' - Masabumi Gotô *1961: ''Midaregami'' - Wataru Kamogawa *1961: ''Tôkyô yawa'' - Kyosuke Kamiko *1961: ''

As a Wife, As a Woman is a 1961 Japanese drama (film and television), drama film directed by Mikio Naruse. Plot Miho, mistress of married professor Keijiro, has been managing the Ginza bar owned by him and his wife Ayako for years, hoping that some day she might be ma ...

'' - Kimura *1961: '' The Last War'' *1961: ''Machi'' - Public prosecutor *1961: ''Onna no tsurihashi'' - Shinkichi Haurno (Episode 2) *1961: ''Okoto to Sasuke'' *1962: ''Sono yo wa wasurenai'' - Taneda *1962: ''

An Autumn Afternoon is a 1962 Japanese drama film directed by Yasujirō Ozu for Shochiku Films. It stars Ozu regular Chishū Ryū as the patriarch of the Hirayama family who eventually realises that he has a duty to arrange a marriage for his daughter Michiko (Shim ...

'' - Shuzo Kawai *1963: '' High and Low'' - Ishimaru, National Shoes Design Department Director *1964: ''Zoku shachô shinshiroku'' *1964: ''Geisha gakkô'' *1964: ''Hadaka no jûyaku'' - Serizawa, executive *1964: '' Dogara, the Space Monster'' - Dr. Munakata - Dr. Munakata *1964: ''Mesu'' - Eitaro Shudo *1965: ''Daikon to ninjin'' *1965: ''

Frankenstein Conquers the World is a 1965 '' kaiju'' film directed by Ishirō Honda with special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya. The film stars Nick Adams, Kumi Mizuno and Tadao Takashima, with Koji Furuhata as Frankenstein and Haruo Nakajima as Baragon. An international co-product ...

'' - Skeptical Museum Chief *1965: ''Honkon no shiroibara'' - Nagahara *1966: ''Zoku shachô gyôjôki'' *1966: ''Fukuzatsu na kare'' *1966: ''

The War of the Gargantuas is a 1966 '' kaiju'' film directed by Ishirō Honda, with special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya. Referred by film historian Stuart Galbraith IV as a "quasi–sequel" to '' Frankenstein vs. Baragon'', the film was a Japanese-American co-production; ...

'' - Dr. Kita *1966: '' Thirst for Love'' - Yakichi Sugimoto *1967: ''

Japan's Longest Day is a 1967 Japanese war film directed by Kihachi Okamoto. The subject of the majority of the movie is the period between noon on August 14, 1945 and noon on August 15, 1945, when Emperor Hirohito's decision to surrender to the Allies in World W ...

'' -

Kōichi Kido Marquis (July 18, 1889 – April 6, 1977) was a Japanese statesman who served as Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal of Japan from 1940 to 1945, and was the closest advisor to Emperor Hirohito throughout World War II. He was convicted of war crimes ...

*1967: ''Sodachi zakari'' - Shingo Nakayu *1967: '' Two in the Shadow'' *1968: ''Shachô hanjôki'' *1968: ''Zoku shacho hanjôki'' *1968: ''Rio no wakadaishô'' *1968: ''Suna no kaori'' - Chief Judge *1969: ''Futari no koibito'' - Ryôhei Kôno *1970: ''Jaga wa hashitta'' - Head of N-Bussan *1970: ''

The Militarists is a 1970 Japanese film directed by Hiromichi Horikawa. Release ''The Militarists'' had a roadshow release in Japan on 11 August 1970 where it was distributed by Toho. It received general release 12 September 1970 in Japan. The film was Toho's ...

'' - Kōichi Kido (uncredited) *1971: ''Maboroshi no satsui'' *1972: ''Kuro no honryu'' - Daizo Kitagawa *1973: '' Tidal Wave'' - Japanese Ambassador to Australia *1973: ''Kôkotsu no hito'' - Fujieda, lawyer *1974: ''Karei-naru ichizoku'' - Matsudaira *1975: ''Zesshô'' *1976: '' Shunkinsho'' - Harumatsu *1977: ''Akuma no temari-uta''- Hôan Tatara *1985: ''

'' - Intended victim of con man *1987: ''Bu su'' - Customer *1991: ''No raifu kingu'' - (final film role)

Television

*1969: ''

Ten to Chi to is a 1990 Japanese film, directed by Haruki Kadokawa and starring Takaaki Enoki, Tsugawa Masahiko, Asano Atsuko, Zaizen Naomi and Nomura Hironobu. The film was released in Japan in June 1990, and an English version was released in North Ame ...

'' - Amari Torayasu *1972: '' Shin Heike Monogatari'' - Toba Sōjō *1978: ''

Shiroi Kyotō is a 1965 novel by Toyoko Yamasaki. It has been adapted into a film in 1966 and then five times as a television series in 1967, 1978, 1990, 2003, and 2019. The 1966 film was entered into the 5th Moscow International Film Festival where it won a S ...

'' - Professor Azuma

Honours

Medal with Purple Ribbon are medals awarded by the Government of Japan. They are awarded to individuals who have done meritorious deeds and also to those who have achieved excellence in their field of work. The Medals of Honor were established on December 7, 1881, and we ...

(1976)

References

External links

* 1908 births 1991 deaths Japanese male film actors 20th-century Japanese male actors People from Otaru Recipients of the Medal with Purple Ribbon {{Japan-film-actor-stub